Portable Shooting Stabilization Assist Clamp

ABSTRACT

A portable shooting stabilization assist clamp designed for quick and easy, single-handed attachment and detachment on to a shooting rail or similar solid object. Once attached to an object, the clamp supports a firearm fore-stock, forend, frame, stock, or barrel allowing the user a steadier aim for more accurate shot placement. The clamp provides the capacity of a rapid attachment and detachment by using a spring clamp design. In its preferred embodiment, the clamp provides a rest with two angled prongs, in a generally V-shape, above the pivot of the the spring clamp, to help to easily place and retain the gun on the clamp. In alternative embodiments, multiple rests are provided as well as movable, pivoting rests. In addition to assisting shooters and hunters, the clamp could also be used to stabilize a camera, telescope, small video camera, or other device that is enhanced by stabilization.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a provisional conversion of application U.S. Ser.No. 62/033,957 filed on Aug. 6, 2014. This application is hereinincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A gun rest is a device used to stabilize a firearm when in use. It canbe as simple as a sturdy stick that allows a shooter to increase theconnection of a firearm to the ground. By placing a firearm on a steadyrest, the shooter can better control the gun and thereby improveaccuracy in shot placement. In the context of hunting, the portabilityand ease and speed of re-positioning a gun rest is very important.Opportunities to harvest wild-game do not present themselves in reliablypredictable directions, so being able to quickly move or place a gunrest is a very desirable characteristic.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present application discloses a portable shooting stabilizationassist clamp primarily designed as a gun rest to enhance stability of afirearm. The increased stability results in better aim and shotplacement. In a hunting context, the clamp may be secured to almost anyfixed firm surface, such as a fence or branch, but it works particularlywell when clamped on a deer stand which provides railings.

Previously available gun rests, required the rest to be securelyfastened to a railing using some sort of screw based method. As aresult, the gun rest could not be moved quickly for use in a differentposition or direction. The presently disclosed portable shootingstabilization assist clamp can be quickly removed and quietlyre-positioned on another surface when needed. No tools are required tooperate the device. The hunter simply applies pressure by squeezing theclamp into an open position, places it in the desired location andreleases the pressure on the clamp. This can normally be accomplishedwith one hand. This one handed operation allows the user to attached therest with one hand while holding a firearm in the other hand. As aresult, the user does not have to put down the firearm or take valuabletime to secure the device, as would be required when using a previouslyavailable rest design.

The preferred manufacturing method utilizes primarily injection-moldedplastic. As a result, the clamp is quieter than metal in the field andimpervious to weather related corrosion. The use of plastics alsoreduces the weight as compared to metal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a portable shooting stabilization assist clamp while inuse. The clamp is attached to a railing and supports the firearmfore-stock, forend, frame, stock, or barrel.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a portable shooting stabilizationassist clamp.

FIG. 3 shows a portable shooting stabilization assist clamp.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the portable shootingstabilization assist clamp.

FIG. 5 shows another alternative embodiment of the portable shootingstabilization assist clamp. This embodiment allows the rests to pivot inthe horizontal plane.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 shows another alternative embodiment of the portable shootingstabilization assist clamp. This embodiment allows the rests to pivotand has the rests capable of moving to different planes relative to oneanother.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, the present disclosure is directed to aportable shooting stabilization clamp (100) comprising a clamping end(110) used to secure the clamp (100) to a fixed surface, and a rest end(120) having preferably v-shaped extensions designed to receive andcradle a firearm fore-stock, forend, frame, stock, or barrel when inuse. In response to the approach of a game animal or in anticipation ofits predicted approach, the hunter would find a railing or otherappropriate stable object, squeeze the rest end to open the jaws of theportable shooting stabilization assist clamp and release them over thestabilizing object to secure the clamp (100). This can normally beaccomplished with one hand, which allows a gun held in the other hand tobe quickly placed on the rest after the clamp (100) is secured to afixed surface. In addition, the hunter can easily remove the gun fromthe clamp by simply lifting the gun upward. Nothing aside from the gun'smass holds it in the rest (120), so the gun may be lifted off the restof clamp (100) without hesitation if a opportunity presents itself in adifferent location and time does not allow for the re-positioning of theclamp (100). Once the hunter is finished using the clamp (100), it canbe easily removed by squeezing the V-shaped rest(s) (120) towards eachother to open the jaws (110) and moving the clamp (100) away from thestabilizing object.

Referring now to FIG. 2, which provides an exploded view of the portableshooting stabilization assist clamp (200), the clamp (200) comprises afirst member (205) and a second member (210). Each member includes a jawend (215), a rest end (220) and a pivot aperture (225). When assembled,the first member (205) and the second member (210) are aligned andjoined at a center fulcrum or pivot point (230) with a nut (235) andbolt (240) through the pivot apertures (225), as shown in FIG. 2. Anequivalent securing means such as a rivet or similar mechanisms may alsobe used. A spring (245) is preferably secured between the pivot points(230) of the first and second members (205, 210). Although a coil spring(245) is shown in FIG. 2, other kinds of springs or spring equivalent,may be used. However, springs are preferred for their ease of use, quietoperation and simplicity. When assembled, the rest ends of the first andsecond members serve as handles of the portable shooting stabilizationassist clamp (200). The user opens the jaws (250) of the clamp (200) bysqueezing the rest ends (220) toward each other, thereby overcoming theresistance of the spring (245). Each rest end (220) has a rest extension(255) that serves to cradle the firearm fore-stock, forend, frame,stock, or barrel. Although they are preferably V-shaped as shown in FIG.1, the rest extensions may also be U-shaped or have a flat horizontalrest with two vertical members to cradle a firearm fore-stock, forend,frame, stock, or barrel within the rest extensions. The V-shape of therest extension allows the hunter some freedom to swing the aim of thegun within a limited left-right arc while still providing stability.

FIG. 3 provides a view of the preferred embodiment of the portableshooting stabilization assist clamp (300) as it would appear when fullyassembled. Serrations or teeth (310) on the jaws (320) of the clamp(300) serve to increase the gripping ability of the jaws (320) on unevensurfaces and prevent movement when the clamp is in place. Other grippingmethods may also be used instead of serrations. For example, rubberizedcoatings, rubberized tips or other slip resistant materials may beapplied to or secured on the jaws to enhance the gripping ability of thejaws (320). Furthermore, pivoting surfaces can also be used to grip onuneven surfaces. In one alternative embodiment (not show), a rubber tipis provided to cover the end of each jaw. The rubber tip may either be asolid piece of rubber or rubber-like material that is integral to thejaw or a a removable piece or cover. However, for simplicity and ease ofmanufacturing, the serrations are preferred.

In an alternative embodiment as shown in FIG. 4, the portable shootingstabilization assist clamp (400) provides a rest extension (410) fromthe first member (420) but not from the second member (430) as in theembodiment previously described in FIGS. 1-3. In this embodiment, thesecond member (430) includes a rest end (440) that forms a short handle(450) rather than a rest extension. This single rest extension versionallows a user increased range of motion from left to right because of asingle contact point with the firearm fore-stock, forend, frame, stock,or barrel.

In another alternative embodiment as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, theportable shooting stabilization assist clamp (500) further includesrotating rest extensions that are able to pivot when in use. As shown inFIG. 5, the clamp comprises a first member (510) and second member(520). Each member includes a jaw end (530), rest end (540) and a restextension portion (550) that is detachably secured to the rest end(540).

As shown in FIG. 6, the rest end (600) of this embodiment extends into ashort handle (605) as shown in the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 4. Therest extension portion (610) includes a flat base end (615) having anaperture (620) and a V or U shaped rest extension projections (625)extending away from the base end (615). The rest extension portion (610)is detachably secured to a flat end of the handle (615) of the rest endby aligning an aperture (620) formed in the flat end of the handle withthe aperture (630) formed in the flat base of the rest extension portion(610). This embodiment allows the rest extension portion (610) to swivelwhile the jaw portion (635) of the member remains in a fixed position.By allowing each rest extension portion to rotate and pivot, a greaterrange of movement from left to right is allowed while still providingthe stability of two contact points on the firearm fore-stock, forend,frame, stock, or barrel. Although the rotating rests are preferablysecured with nuts (640) and bolts (645) as shown in FIG. 6, similarsecuring methods that allow the rests to rotate, may also be used.

In another alternative embodiment as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the restextensions (700) of the portable shooting stabilization assist clamp(710) are able to rotate, pivot and also move into a different plane offunction. As in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, this embodimentdiscloses members having detachably secured rest extensions, butprovides a slide channel rather than a single fixed aperture in the baseof the handle portion at the point in which the rest extension issecured to the member. The slide channel formed within the base of eachhandle of the rest end extends beyond one plane, thereby allowing therest extension portion to slide into into a different viewing plane whenin use. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, each member of thisembodiment is assembled by aligning the aperture (800) formed within thebase of the rest extension portion (810) with the slide channel (820)formed withing the handle portion (830) of the rest end (840) of themember and securing them together with a nut (850), bolt (860), washer(870), and spring (880) as shown in FIG. 8. This alignment within theslide channel (820) allows the rest extension portion to rotate andslide into different planes of operation as permitted by the slidechannel (820). As a result, a shooter has the option to use one or tworest extensions. It enables the use of single rest, by placing one ofthe rests into a different plane of operation from that of the otherrest. It also allows use of the clamp on a vertical pole, tree orsimilar object.

I claim:
 1. A portable shooting stabilization assist clamp comprising: afirst member including a jaw end, a rest end having a rest extension anda pivot aperture; and, a second member including a jaw end, a rest endhaving a rest extension and a pivot aperture; wherein the pivotapertures of the first and second members are aligned and secured. 2.The clamp of claim 1, wherein the first member includes a jaw end, arest end having a rest extension and pivot a aperture, and the secondmember includes a jaw end, a rest end having a handle, and pivot aaperture.
 3. The clamp of claim 1, wherein the rest end of the firstmember includes a handle having an aperture, and a rest extensionportion having an aperture for detachably securing the rest extensionportion to the handle, and wherein the rest end of the second memberincludes a handle having an aperture, and a rest extension portionhaving an aperture for detachably securing the rest extension portion tothe handle.
 4. The clamp of claim 3, wherein the aperture in the handleof the first member is a sliding channel, and the aperture in the handleof the second member is a a sliding channel.
 5. The clamp of claim 1wherein the jaw end of the first member and the jaw end of the secondmember are coated treated with a slip resistant coating.
 6. The clamp ofclaim 5, wherein the coating is a rubberized cap.
 7. The clamp of claim1, wherein the rest extension portion of the first and second member isV-shaped.